https://doi.org/10.1140/epjp/s13360-023-04817-1
Regular Article
Stretchable and tough polystyrene hydrogels by introducing polyacrylamide network
1
Key Laboratory of Micro-Nano Electronic Sensing Technology and Bionic Devices, Department of Network Security and Information Technology, Yili Normal University, Yining, China
2
Department of Electronics and Engineering, Yili Normal University, Yining, China
3
Department of Math and Physics, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, China
d
785232437@qq.com
e
shj1595@163.com
Received:
7
October
2023
Accepted:
20
December
2023
Published online:
8
January
2024
This study presents a novel category of tough PS-p(AAm-co-MBAA) double network (DN) hydrogels, synthesized through fully chemically cross-linked methods by introducing polyacrylamide network into hydrophobic polystyrene networks. Herein, we obtain the carboxyl-modified polystyrene (CPS) synthesized by polystyrene (PS) using reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization, CPS and 4-arm amine poly(ethylene glycol) (4-arm-PEG-NH2) serve as the first chemical cross-linking, providing a brittle and stiff network that allows energy dissipation. Concurrently, the second chemical cross-linking points, created by acrylamide (AAm) and N,N’-methylenebis(acrylamide) (MBAA), impart a ductile and soft network to enhance stretchability. The optimal tough PS-p(AAm-co-MBAA) DN hydrogel displays remarkable properties, including super stretchability (≈5.9 times), tensile strength (≈0.43 MPa), high toughness (≈1.66 MJ m−3), good recoverability property (≈94.6% stiffness recovery and ≈88% toughness recovery without any waiting time), and fatigue resistance. This study introduces a novel approach to design and manufacture tough hydrogels with remarkable overall characteristics by employing the collaborative process of RAFT polymerization.
Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at https://doi.org/10.1140/epjp/s13360-023-04817-1.
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